The present invention pertains generally to conveyors used in batch type concrete trucks which transport sand and gravel in a dry state and mix same with water at the delivery site.
In wide use today are trucks of the above noted type which utilize a conveyor belt to deliver selected quantities of sand, gravel and cement to a truck mounted delivery chute wherein the concrete is mixed by an auger which additionally serves to discharge the material in a precise manner at the site. The general type of truck in which the present conveyor invention is useable is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,293. An endless conveyor belt travels below discharge chutes of the sand, gravel and cement bins and delivers a preselected mixture of same into the positionable chute or trough for discharge.
As noted in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,767 such conveyor belts are, by reason of the abrasive nature of the material conveyed, subject to a high rate of wear and considerable maintenance. Existing conveyor belt assemblies in concrete batch trucks are accessible for periodic servicing only after considerable time is spent removing adjacent components of the truck. The refurbishing of an existing prior art conveyor is costly both from a parts and time standpoint with considerable effort expended in the reinstallation of the conveyor assembly onto the truck chassis. As noted above the highly abrasive nature of the materials handled contributes greatly to the problem.